


You're the Sweetest, Sweetest Song (I Could Hear Your Song Forever)

by Griffindork



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F, I wrote this in a day dont kill me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 09:51:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17785166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Griffindork/pseuds/Griffindork
Summary: Charity laughs louder, giving up the fight for the quilt and instead straddling her fiance above the damned thing. ‘Vanessa if you don’t wake up I can’t give you your present.’Two eyes appear above the quilt, blinking owlishly into the early morning light beginning to filter into their room. ‘My present?’‘Yeah.’ Charity manages to push the quilt down to Vanessa’s chin. She grins, watching as awareness seeps into her face slowly. ‘Happy Valentines Day.’





	You're the Sweetest, Sweetest Song (I Could Hear Your Song Forever)

In the background some sappy song plays on the radio and Charity hums along mindlessly, chewing her lip in concentration. She looks up quickly, just to make sure it’s still dark outside. It is. Quickly as she can, she gathers the tray in her hands and, in a precarious balancing act, makes her way back up the stairs as quiet as she can.

‘Ah, f-’ she catches herself quickly in the silence, freezing as she listens for any movement caused by the thud of her toe against the bannister. There’s a suspicious noise coming from Paddy and Chas’ room at the end of the hallway and for the sake of her sanity she decides not to linger any more, and hurries back into her room.

She leans back against the door to slip it closed and looks over in the darkness to the lump Vanessa’s formed in the centre of their bed. Faintly, she can hear the snores of her fiance, still fast asleep, still drooling onto her pillow, still fighting herself for the quilt. Just above the lump she can see a mess of tangled blonde hair and a hand flung out to the side haphazardly.

‘Ness.’ She says gently, making her way to Vanessa’s side of the bed. She carefully slides the breakfast onto the bedside table and gently strokes some of the hair covering Vanessa’s face. ‘Vanessa.’

‘Mmm no.’ Comes the muffled reply.

‘Wake up.’ Charity laughs, pulling the quilt back.

Vanessa tugs it back over her head, groaning all the while. ‘It’s cold.’

Charity laughs louder, giving up the fight for the quilt and instead straddling her fiance above the damned thing. ‘Vanessa if you don’t wake up I can’t give you your present.’

Two eyes appear above the quilt, blinking owlishly into the early morning light beginning to filter into their room. ‘My present?’

‘Yeah.’ Charity manages to push the quilt down to Vanessa’s chin. She grins, watching as awareness seeps into her face slowly. ‘Happy Valentines Day.’

Vanessa grin’s below her, stretching to free her arms from the cocoon she’d created for herself in Charity’s absence, but Charity drops a quick kiss onto her lips and she stops fighting so she can lean fully into her lips.

‘Nope.’ Vanessa demands, head shaking and eyes staying resolutely closed when Charity goes to pull away. She chases Charity’s lips eagerly, nipping gently with her teeth when she finds them and pulling Charity back down with a hand tangles in the hair at the nape of her neck.

She hums lowly in agreement when Charity opens her mouth, nails scratching sharply as Charity settles her weight more fully down on her hips. One hand detangles from Charity’s hair and she tries to push the quilt down her body desperately but she doesn’t get far and a growl of annoyance vibrates through their lips.

Charity laughs into their kiss, pulling away and gently rubbing her nose on Vanessa’s in affection at the annoyed scowl pulling her fiance’s forehead into wrinkles.

‘Would you like a hand?’

‘Please.’

‘Seeing as you asked so nicely.’ Charity giggles, leaning up so she can pull the quilt up and away, throwing it into a pile at the side of them. She lowers herself back down onto her girlfriends hips slowly, catching her eyes hotly. ‘So.’ She says as Vanessa’s hands grip her hips tightly. ‘Present.’

‘Yours isn’t ready yet. But,’ she adds quickly, ‘it will be later.’

‘Later?’ Charity asks, nodding slowly as she leans back down. She watches smugly as Vanessa’s eyes descend to the opening of her dressing gown.

‘Are you naked?’ She asks thickly, eyes lingering on the way Charity’s silk robe drops open just enough to tease.

‘Very.’ Charity nods.

Vanessa grins, licking at her lips before she meets Charity in a kiss that leaves her breathless. She pushes Charity up and her hands make light work of the tie still loosely clinging on around Charity’s hips and then she’s pushing the silk from Charity’s shoulders slowly, pulling back to meet Charity’s eyes quickly for assurance.

Charity nods quickly, and she leans in to nip playfully at Vanessa’s jaw with her teeth to hide the electricity such a simple action from her fiance causes. She’s never had someone be so enthusiastic about her enjoyment before and it sends a wave of affection to the tips of her fingers as she nuzzles into Vanessa’s neck, feeling the silk slowly pool around her hips.

‘What’s that smell?’ Vanessa asks quickly, nose wrinkling.

‘Charming.’ Charity pulls back, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she does.

‘No- is that breakfast?’ Vanessa asks, straining to look over her shoulder at the tray balancing on her bedside table.

‘Breakfast in bed.’ Charity shrugs, nodding.

‘Oh, it’ll go cold.’ Vanessa begins to pull away but Charity pulls her back quickly, hands cupping her cheeks softly.

‘Ness, I don’t care about the breakfast.’

Vanessa looks troubled for all of a minute before her eyes flick back down, lingering on the pooled silk at Charity’s hips and then making their way back up so slowly that Charity shivers at the darkening of her eyes.

‘You never intended me to eat it.’

‘Oh I intended you to eat something.’ Charity nods seriously.

Vanessa laughs loudly, shaking her head as she looks at Charity with eyes so full of love that Charity can’t help but sink into it. Hand’s pull her down until Vanessa’s head hits the pillow below them and then their lips are connected again lazily.

She grins into the kiss as one hand makes its way down her back, until she feels a tight squeeze and she’s just about to reach back, push the last remnants of her dressing gown away form them fully when the door opens with a deafening thud and-

‘No Moz!’

Little hands reach her foot just as Vanessa pulls her down, trying to shield her with her arms. The feet that had been thudding down the corridor stop abruptly in the doorway followed by a quiet ‘oh god’ from Noah.

She feels a quick gust of wind from where her face is squashed into Vanessa’s shoulder and then the weight of the quilt settles on her back coolly. She looks over to the doorway first, where Noah stands, eyes fixed on some spot on the carpet with a focus Charity is sure could start fires.

‘Come on boys.’ He says quickly. ‘Lets go downstairs, wait for your mums to get ready.’

‘Char’ty okay?’ Johnny asks quietly, and when Charity looks round to him, he’s eyeing her with big, concerned eyes.

‘Yes, sweetheart.’ Vanessa says quickly and she nips at Charity’s hip below the quilt when Charity begins to laugh quietly.

‘Just cold.’ Charity adds, shivering for effect.

‘Go with Noah, boys.’ Vanessa nods over to the boy in question, still stood staring at the same spot on the carpet.

He nods. ‘Come on.’ He holds his hand out, shuffling awkwardly into the room to meet the toddlers on their way to him and then dragging them out of the room as quick as he can manage.

‘We’ll be coming in a minute.’ Vanessa shouts after them, through the door that’s left open. 

Noah groans faintly in the distance and Charity can’t help but laugh loudly, rolling off of Vanessa and onto her side of the bed.

‘They could’ve shut the door.’ Vanessa grumbles, kicking herself out of bed to do just that. ‘Morning.’ She says awkwardly to who Vanessa assumes is either Chas or Paddy and then she’s leaning back against the door heavily. ‘Oh that was embarrassing.’

Charity just laughs louder, pulling at the quilt under her chin.

‘Stop it.’ Vanessa chastises quietly.

‘Come on babe, you weren’t the one who was naked.’ She sits up, leaning back against the headboard. ‘And it’s funny you have to admit.’

Vanessa shakes her head but she can’t stop the smile pulling her lips up. Charity holds her fingers up, millimetres apart and mouthing ‘a little bit’ and Vanessa nods reluctantly. She makes her way back over to the bed and leans down to push a lazy kiss against Charity’s lips.

‘Get dressed.’ She whispers when she pulls back far enough to speak and she meets Charity’s aggrieved eyes with a mischievous wink. ‘You’ll have to wait for you present later.’

‘Not fair.’ Charity complains loudly, but Vanessa’s already at the bedroom door, pulling it open.

Charity can hear the faint squeals of the boys playing some game in the backroom and Noah’s half hearted attempts to get them to stop. Chas’ voice echos up the stairs loudly.

‘It’s feeding time at the zoo.’

‘I’m coming.’ Vanessa shouts back, already on her way.

Charity sighs heavily, head falling back at the sudden silence, worked up and now all alone. She kicks back the quilt moodily.

By the time she’s made it downstairs, the youngest of their boys are sat at the table; Moses is mashing his banana on his toast before slopping it into his mouth and Johnny nibbles at the edge of his toast, studying Moses. Noah sits beside Vanessa, who watches over the toddlers with a patient affection, angled away from her uncomfortably. When she walks through the door he looks up at the noise and then quickly looks away, back down to his cereal.

‘Oh decided to join us have you?’ Chas says from where she’s cuddled into Paddy’s side on the couch.

‘Good morning to you too.’ She rolls her eyes. She makes her way to the kettle and pours herself a cup of tea in the silence. When she’s done she comes to lean against the back of Vanessa’s chair, hand sliding down her shoulder as she looks at her boys. ‘Moz, can you try and eat more than is on your face, kidder.’

‘No, sign of a good meal that.’ Vanessa laughs, she leans over and wipes away a bit of mushed up banana from his forehead.

‘Umm.’ Charity hums in doubt. ‘What about you then Johnnybobs. Don’t like ‘nana?’

‘No. My favourite.’ He answers smartly, head shaking. As though to prove a point he bites a mouthful off and set too chewing loudly.

‘Chew properly please, Mister.’ Vanessa warns sternly.

Charity mock salutes behind her and the boys laugh loudly. When Vanessa turns to look at her suspiciously, she just shrugs innocently, eyes rolling to the sky in search of what could’ve possible made the boys laugh. She can’t resist dropping a quick peck on to Vanessa’s toothy grin.

‘Eugh.’ Noah moans sickly, pushing away from the table. ‘I’m going to school.’

He makes a quick exit, but not quick enough to avoid the kiss Charity drops on his cheek on his way. He wipes at it moodily, grabbing his back.

‘Have a good day.’ Vanessa shouts after him, worry written on her face. She only gets a grunt in response before the back door is slammed shut.

‘He’ll be fine.’ Charity rolls her eyes, dropping into her sons vacated seat. Vanessa looks at her nervously. ‘He’ll get over it.’

‘Over what?’ Paddy asks dumbly, looking between them.

‘Our Noah caught a bit of an eyeful this morning.’ Chas offers, revelling too much in the glee it causes her.

'Oh.’ He answers, cringing.

‘Makes a difference to it being you, Paddy.’ Charity grumbles grumpily as Chas cackles at Paddy’s mortified face.

‘Did you have to remind me?’ He asks, looking a bit peaky and Charity can’t help but join Chas in her cackles as Vanessa mirrors his look.

‘You two put your hands up a cows bottom for a living and a bit of nudity has you all green ‘round the gills.’ Charity laughs.

‘It’s n-not the nudity that the p-problem.’ Paddy insists, slowly growing more red and Vanassa nods along.

‘It’s the other people seeing part.’ She tags on to Paddy’s eager agreement.

‘Aw, Paddy.’ Chas simpers, hand rubbing at his chin in affection. ‘I’m sure anyone would be glad to catch an eyeful of you.’

He giggles, high pitched and Charity twists her face in disgust. ‘Yeah.’ She agrees sarcastically. ‘A fine specimen of a man.’

Chas throws a dirty look at her. ‘Well seeing as you’re such a walking goddess among us-’

‘Glad you admit it.’

‘-you can go open up for Marlon.’

‘Can’t.’ Charity says quickly. ‘We have plans.’

She looks to Vanessa for support but she just looks back, shrugging guiltily. ‘Sorry.’ She collects the boys plates. ‘I’m taking these to nursery and then I have to put some hours in at the vets.’

‘Pearl can do the paperwork.’ Charity argues petulantly.

‘Oh no-’ Paddy goes to warn quickly but Vanessa’s already replying hotly.

‘No chance I’m leaving it to her to mess up again.’ She huffs, dropping the plates loudly into the sink. ‘Last time I left her to it she’d booked Mr Lopez’ cat in for neutering when it was supposed to be routine vaccinations. Poor Toast didn’t know what’d hit him.’

‘Toast?’ Charity mouths and Chas just shrugs back at her, watching the whirlwind of Vanessa sweep through the kitchen, gathering every dirty plate and cup and dumping them in the sink.

‘Easy mistake to make?’ Chas asks weakly but Paddy just shakes his head, quieting her with a squeeze to the arm.

‘But you can finish early, yeah?’ Charity asks eagerly, catching Vanessa on her way past. ‘We have unfinished business.’

Vanessa smiles then, the hot air taken out of her as she leans in between Charity’s legs. Charity strains her neck up and Vanessa meets her half way, bending down to join their lips.

‘Ah.’ Chas and Paddy moan loudly together.

‘Ah.’ The boys join in, laughing loudly.

‘Get a room.’ Chas adds.

‘Well we had one of those earlier.’ Charity answers smartly, sticking her tongue out at the boys as they continue their chorus beside them. ‘Didn’t work very well.’

Vanessa slaps her arm gently, pulling back and clapping her hands at the boys. ‘Right, first one upstairs wins.’

And then all three are gone, thundering up the stairs to a symphony of giggles when one trips up the stairs then scrambles to catch up.

There’s a knock on the back door that breaks Charity’s content silence, watching the space where they’d disappeared.

‘Get that, Charity.’

-

Earlier in the week Marlon had made a fuss of wanting to do some romantic two for one deal in the pub at lunch time. Which is how Charity finds herself rush off her feet serving every cringey couple in the village Marlon’s idea of a romantic meal at dinner time.

‘Do none of these people have work.’ She grumbles into Chas’ ear on her way past, hands laden with plates of piping hot food.

Chas just snorts. ‘Don’t complain they’re lining our pockets.’

Charity looks over in the corner to Graham and Megan sharing a table. Neither looks particularly thawed anything past their normal icy selves. She shivers, just thinking of their robotic relationship.

‘Alright?’ Tracy asks, coming to lean near her. She follows Charity’s eyes and grimaces in disgust.

‘Hey, what do you reckon?’ Charity asks, leaning in conspiratorially. ‘Do you think it’s the lack of facial expression that does it for her?’

Tracy snorts into her gin and tonic. ‘Charity.’ She admonishes half-heartedly.

‘What?’ Tracy just shakes her head fondly. ‘Anyway what are you doing in here?’

‘Meeting Vee.’ She shrugs, looking around the very Vanessa-less pub.

‘Some sister-date planned?’ Charity asks. ‘Hey I’ll save this table for you, see if Chas will let me join you for half an hour.’

‘She’s taking me to town.’ Tracy says shiftily.

‘Town? I thought she just had to be in work today?’

‘Oh. Yeah.’ Tracy amends quickly. She laughs awkwardly. ‘But I think she took pity on me being all alone this year and promised to take my mind off of it.’

‘Yeah.’ Charity agrees wearily, eyes narrowed at Tracy suspiciously as she avoids her gaze. ‘Top up?’

‘I’m here.’ Vanessa blusters through the door loudly, cheeks flushed. ‘You ready?’

‘Yep.’ Tracy says eagerly, hopping off the stool.

‘Hi.’ Charity says pointedly.

‘Hi.’ Vanessa breathes, smiling. She pushes herself up by the bar so she can lean over. ‘I’m going to have to love you and leave you or we’ll be late.’ She drops a quick kiss onto Charity’s unprepared lips and then she’s hopping back down, and tugging Tray out of the door.

‘That was weird.’ Chas says in her ear.

‘Yeah.’ Charity agrees.

-

‘Why are you still here?’ Charity asks moodily. She leans against the door to the kitchen, arms folded as Marlon scurries about the kitchen like some giant stick insect.  
‘Charity!’ He jumps, hand coming to his heart. ‘Don’t do that.’

‘What come into my own kitchen?’ She asks suspiciously.

‘Make me jump.’

‘Well that’s a bit hard, Marlon. Seeing as your about as tough as a wet dishcloth.’

‘Haha.’ He answers dryly, head tilted to the side.

‘So?’ She asks when she still gets no answer. ‘You finished an hour ago.’

‘I wanted to just,’ he cuts off lamely, looking around for something, then picks up a ladle, thrusting it in the air, ‘you know. Experiment.’

‘Lovely.’ She mutters, disgusted.

‘No!’ He shouts quickly, almost leaping as he brings his other hand up to shove the ladle down. ‘Not - I meant. With food.’

‘Yeah.’ She nods, eyes wide and misbelieving as he splutters. She backs out of the room. ‘Is everyone a bit weird today?’ She asks, coming to stand beside Chas.

‘You sure it’s not just you?’

‘Haha.’ She says, unamused at Chas’ pleased grin thrown at her. ‘I mean. First Ness, rushing off like she didn’t promise to finish what she started.’

‘Charity.’ Chas interrupts with a disgusted shake of her head.

‘Then Trace, being all high pitched and skitty.’ She mocks her almost sister-in-law. ‘Now, beanpole in there.’ She points over her shoulder with her thumb and a nod of her head. ‘’Experimenting’ with a ladle.’ 

‘You what?’

‘Ask him.’ She shrugs. 

Chas rolls her eyes at her cousin and Charity sighs heavily, looking at the last remnants of the villages couples mop up their final mouthfuls of wine and desert. She’s feeling fully sorry for herself, having not seen, nor heard from Vanessa since that fleeting glance at lunch time.

‘Oh cheer up.’ Chas says suddenly, nudging her shoulder. ‘You’re supposed to be all loved up, newly proposed, first proper Valentines and all that.’

‘Yeah.’ Charity sighs lamely.

The door opens, bringing with it a gust of wind and Charity looks over eagerly, looking for a short blonde head. She deflates when all that happens in Frank’s silver head pokes through, shepherding the boys through at his feet.

‘There she is.’ He says, pointing them over to her, juggling their bags in his hands as they skip through the pub to the opening.

Chas pulls the hatch up quickly and they come through to attach themselves to Charity’s legs.

‘Hiya.’ She says eagerly. ‘Good day at nursery?’

‘Yes.’ Johnny answers deftly and Moses detaches to go and hassle Frank, who’s stopped by the hatch, watching with a wondrous smile on his face.

‘Look, Mummy.’ Moses is saying quickly as he digs through his little backpack. ‘Look what we did.’

‘Wait for me.’ Johnny gasps, clumsily making his way to Frank too. Charity catches him, setting him back on his feet and on his way as he too digs into his bag.

‘It’s okay.’ She laughs, kneeling to catch Moses who throws himself back to her. ‘What’s the rush?’

Moses waves a bit of paper in front of her face and she takes it gently, smiling indulgently as he hops eagerly on his tippy toes.

‘Okay.’ She laughs, looking down at the paper in her hands.

‘Valtines!’ He shouts happily when she looks down at the crudely made card. There’s a drawing of her, her head is slightly too big for her body and Vanessa looks tiny next to her, but even tinier is a drawing of Moses himself, holding hands with Johnny. Above it all, in bright red crayon, is ‘Happy Valentines my mummies’ that tapers off at the end to fit on the page.

‘Oh.’ She says quietly, suddenly choked up and she meets Moses’ excited eyes. ‘Thank you, baby.’ She kisses his forehead and he grins, jumping again with the approval. ‘It’s beautiful.’

‘I made one too!’ Johnny says, making his way over, and she catches him too, taking the paper gently from his hand. On his is another crudely drawn picture of the four of them, but there, in the corner, is Noah and Charity snorts as she notices his arms are folded over his chest. Again above it in red writing is ‘Happy Valentines my mummies’ and Charity suspects the teachers had some input in that, but it chokes her up again none the less. ‘Open.’ He says forcefully.

‘Alright, bossy.’ She laughs, pulling the paper over. Written across the middle in wobbly writing is ‘To mummy and Chatitty, love lots from Johnny’. ‘It’s beautiful. They both are.’ She drops kisses to their heads softly. ‘Thank you boys.’

‘You’re welcome.’ Johnny nods, pleased with himself and Moses’ face scrunches in a happy grin.

‘They practically ran all the way here.’ Frank tells her, leaning on the bar and looking down at them with a fond smile. ‘You’ll have to show mummy when she gets back.’  
‘Don’t know when that’ll be do you?’ She chances.

‘No.’ He says quickly. ‘I’ve learnt by now that it’s best to leave those girls of mine too it.’

‘Yeah.’ Charity agrees. She heaves a sigh and makes her way to her feet. ‘Right, Noah’s in the back room, go pester him and he might get you some crisps.’ 

They take their cards in their hands and rush out of the bar, a mini tornado as they burst through the door shouting Noah’s name.

‘Thanks Frank.’ She says seriously.

‘Of course.’

‘What are you having then?’

-

Frank and Marlon are long gone by the time Vanessa makes her way back into the pub. She noticeably alone, with two bags in her hands and as she steps around the bar, Charity steps back into her path.

‘Just in time.’ She mutters.

‘Oh?’ Vanessa asks.

‘I’m about to get off.’ She answers cheekily, wiggling her eyebrows as she leans in closer to kiss her fiance. ‘If you’re lucky.’

‘I think I will be.’ Vanessa leans back in, making to kiss her again but then she lingers in the space between them. ‘Right after the boys are fed and in bed.’

Charity groans as Vanessa pushes past her, laughing gleefully.

‘Wait, what’s in the bags?’

‘Later.’ Vanessa promises as she disappears up the stairs.

Charity groans, watching her go, biting her lip.

‘Don’t you have a back room for that?’

‘Don’t you have tables to clear, Matty?’

She finishes the hand over to Matty as quick as she can manage, rushing through explaining the menu for the night and then hopping in to the back. It’s suspiciously quiet as she gets closer to the back room and she stalls for a second, pressing her ear against the door. Just checking to make sure Johnny hasn’t murdered Moses for stealing his crayon again. Instead all she hears is some soft guitar playing from what she thinks is the radio and Vanessa muttering quietly to someone.

She pushes the door open slowly, stepping into the room cautiously.

‘Hi.’ Vanessa breathes. She slides her hands down her dress nervously, shuffling where she stands, next to the table.

‘Babe?’ Charity looks from Vanessa to the table itself, covered in rose petals and candles, two full plates of food and two full glasses of wine sat waiting for them.

‘Happy Valentines.’ 

‘Ness.’ Charity gasps, she doesn’t know where to look, but she settles on the way Vanessa’s dress hugs tightly to her hips and pushes her chest up. ‘Wow.’

‘I’ll.’ Chas says, pointing to the door, but Charity doesn’t even look as she quickly makes her way out of the room.

‘Thank you.’ Vanessa says sincerely to her and then she’s gone, the door closed gently behind her.

‘The boys?’

‘Noah promised to let them play on his PS4 for a little while.’

‘You look. Amazing.’ Charity laughs, eyes sweeping down the length of Vanessa’s dress again. ‘I look-’

‘Perfect.’ Vanessa interrupts, shaking her head with a laugh.

‘Like I’ve just finished a full shift, but thanks babe.’

‘You look perfect. As you do every day.’ Vanessa promises, stepping forward and cupping Charity’s face. ‘You look like the woman I’m in love with.’

‘Ness.’ Charity mutters, choked as Vanessa kisses her gently.

Just as Charity steps forward to wrap her arms around Vanessa’s waist and pull her in tightly, Vanessa pulls back, grinning.

‘As much as I would love to continue this.’ She nods over to the table. ‘I really do want you to eat that food. Especially as Marlon stayed late to prep it.’

‘I knew he was being weird.’ Charity gasps as Vanessa pulls away and hands her a glass of wine.

‘Don’t be mean.’ Vanessa chastises half-heartedly. ‘He was really happy to help.’

‘I bet he was.’ She mutters. ‘Better than going home to Jessie and her brats, innit?’

‘Stop it.’ Vanessa laughs. ‘Sit down.’

‘Bossy.’ Charity comments, grinning salaciously as she follows her orders and Vanessa sits opposite her, eyebrow raised challengingly. ‘I’m not complaining.’

 

‘You never do.’ She says smugly, picking up her fork and digging in.

‘Cheeky.’ Charity says quietly and Vanessa only smirks in response.

‘Hey,’ She says quickly. ‘Did you get the boys cards?’

‘Yeah.’ Vanessa says soppily, she puts a hand to her heart. ‘I put them on the fridge.’ Charity looks over and sure enough the cards are pinned to the fridge with one of Moses’ old letter magnets each. ‘And now Chatitty can be there for all and sundry to see.’

Charity snorts loudly into her plate and Vanessa joins in, looking at her affectionately.

‘It’s cute.’

‘Yeah.’ Charity agrees readily, she looks over to the cards one last time and she feels her heart swell with love for these two tiny humans. And then she looks back to her fiance and she swears her heart swoops. ‘I love you, you know.’

‘I know.’ Vanessa smiles, she reaches over to grab Charity’s hand across the table. ‘I love you too.’

‘I know.’ Charity mocks, rolling her eyes playfully. But she still feels the words settle softly around her, hold her steady.

‘I have something else for you.’

‘Oh?’

‘Yeah.’ Vanessa smiles, she takes her hand back gently and stands. ‘One minute.’ She says softly and then she’s walking over and pulling Charity up to stand. ‘I wanted to get you something important.’

‘Well I reckon a full stomach is important enough.’

‘Yeah.’ Vanessa nods, not really registering Charity’s comment. ‘And I thought that would be enough, maybe pamper you a bit more.’ She shrugs nervously. ‘But then Tracy-’

‘Do you know I am going to murder that sister of yours one day.’ Charity threatens, she steps closer to Vanessa and cups her face. ‘I just want you.’

‘You have me.’ Vanessa promises solemnly, and her eyes are so wide and so truthful that it takes Charity a second to catch her breath back. ‘Till death us do part right?’

‘Yeah.’ Charity laughs, watery as she looks to the ring sining on Vanessa’s finger. ‘When we eventually make it down the isle.’

‘Soon.’ Vanessa swears. ‘But, in the meantime.’ She open the box she’d been fiddling with in her hands and Charity looks down.

‘Ness.’

‘I love you. So much.’ Vanessa gasps, tears building in her eyes. ‘And I swear I’m not proposing again because I really do think yours was perfect. In the end.’ Charity laughs, nodding. ‘But I just. I love everything about you. I love your stupid stubbornness and your ability to make fun of even the most unfunny situation. When I’m with you I feel like I’ll never stop laughing. You always make me feel better. You are drop dead gorgeous.’ Charity laughs, shrugging cockily, but Vanessa looks at her like she can see through the facade and Charity knows she does. It settles her in a a way she’s never felt with anyone other than the woman in her arms. She feels like home. ‘Everyday feels like it’s just the beginning and I feel like I am falling again every time I look at you.

I have never felt this way before. And no one has ever made me feel the way you make me feel. And I cannot wait to call you my wife.’

‘Babe.’ Charity whispers, looking down and watching as Vanessa takes the ring form the box.

‘It’s completely stupid-’

‘Never.’ Charity swears quickly.

‘-but I wanted to get you something to show that you make everyday better.’

‘Put it on then.’ Charity laughs impatiently.

‘Yeah?’

‘Of course.’ She laughs as Vanessa slips the ring on to her finger gently. ‘It’s beautiful.’ The diamond glints in the lights and Charity pulls Vanessa in gently. Their lips meet in the middle, and Vanessa’s hands grip her hips tightly.

‘I have one more present.’ She pulls back, whispering.

‘Really?’ Charity laughs, she rolls her eyes. ‘You’re putting me to shame, woman.’

‘Never.’ Vanessa’s head shakes in the cradle of Charity’s hands.

‘What is it then?’

Vanessa laughs lowly, looking up at Charity through her lashes. She pushes forward, walking Charity backwards with purpose with a hand in the middle of her chest. Charity feels the weight of the darkening of Vanessa’s eyes, the way she smirks confidently, settle heavily in her stomach. She grins excitedly, pliable under Vanessa’s hands.

Her knees hit the couch and she falls, hands trailing down the length of Vanessa’s body, landing and holding her hips. She looks up, watching how Vanessa hikes her dress up slowly before she’s pushing Charity back again, tapping her hands away.

Slowly, Vanessa lowers herself to straddle Charity’s hips, eyes never lessening their hold on Charity’s.

‘You have to unwrap it.’

The breath leaves Charity lungs in an unsteady gasp as Vanessa’s weight settles above her. Her fiance nips at her lips impatiently, tipping her head back and grabbing her hands. She settles them behind her, on the swell of her bum and squeezes.

‘Babe.’

‘Charity?’ Vanessa breathes, nosing at her cheek. ‘What do you want?’

‘You.’ 

‘You have me.’ Vanessa swears into her ear hotly. ‘Right now.’

Charity moans loudly, moving to find Vanessa’s lips sloppily. She feels Vanessa smile into the kiss happily, feels her push back with equal fever. It sends pulses straight through Charity’s blood. She squeezes her hands again, and swallows Vanessa’s moan gladly. When she moves her hands below the dress, pushing it further up so she can feel flesh, hot below her hands, Vanessa’s teeth bite harshly as her bottom lip.

Her mouth opens to gasp but Vanessa just licks into her, humming soothingly as she goes.

‘Mother?’

Their lips part with a pop and Charity blinks hazily over her shoulder as Debbie slams through the door. Vanessa’s head goes to Charity’s shoulder and she can hear a growl from her fiance as she pants wetly to try and catch her breath.

‘Yeah babe?’ She asks as levelly as she can, but she’s out of breath and suffering from a case of the most annoying deja vu.

‘Oh.’ Debbie mutters, looking from her mum and to the table at the other end of the room. ‘Sorry.’

‘No.’ Charity shakes her head, swallowing thickly. ‘It’s okay. We should get a room.’

Vanessa laughs into her shoulder, head shaking at the incredulity of the situation.

‘No wait Debbie, actually. Chas said-’

‘Yes. Thank you Matty.’ Charity shouts out the door and she hears him shuffling away quickly.

‘I’ll just go.’ Debbie says shortly.

‘No.’ Charity says quickly to stop her daughter going. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing.’ Debbie shakes her head, but she still makes no move to actually go from the room.

Vanessa sighs and then she’s pulling back, smiling across at Debbie. Charity pulls her dress down quickly.

‘We were gonna watch a film.’ She pushes up from Charity’s knee, slightly shaky as she goes. ‘Wine?’

Debbie nods and Vanessa set too, pulling a third glass from the cupboard.

‘Babe, you pick the film yeah?’ Charity asks, she doesn’t wait for an answer as she makes her way across the room to Vanessa. ‘Babe?’

‘Hmm?’ Vanessa asks, back still turned to Charity.

‘I’m really sorry.’ She whispers hurriedly, chancing a look over her shoulder to her daughter, flicking through the horror section on the TV box. ‘She’s just not doing so well-’

‘Charity.’ Vanessa stops her. She turns around, smiling all the while. Gently, she reaches up and wipes the lipstick that had smudged around her lips away. ‘I meant what I said. I love every inch of you.’ Softly, Charity’s chin pinched between her finger she pecks at her lips. ‘That includes your children. And she needs you.’

‘I need you.’ Charity whines pathetically.

‘Later.’ Vanessa promises hotly.

‘It better be.’ Charity grumbles, following her fiance back to the couch, taking their wine glasses on her way.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my boy


End file.
